


The Chair (Falling in Love in a Coffeeshop)

by Smarieh



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-06
Updated: 2017-09-06
Packaged: 2018-12-24 11:56:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,222
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12012213
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Smarieh/pseuds/Smarieh
Summary: Two regulars, a shop soon to close, a chair, and five dedicated (and devious) staff





	The Chair (Falling in Love in a Coffeeshop)

**Author's Note:**

> This story, with replaced names, got me into an amazing summer writing program that I will never forget. I thought now is a good time to actually change the names and submit it here! I love you all and hope you enjoy. 
> 
> \- S.Hayes

The bell rings over the door as the last person exits the coffee shop on the corner.  The strong wind that has lasted all week tugs the door out of the customer’s grip and the knob slams into the brick wall before whipping back shut, the glass rattling dangerously.  It’s almost as if the door has a mind of its own.

Gwen sighs and makes a sign to warn the customers of the wind and the door, tapes it on the glass pane of the door, and goes to the back where everyone else is.  There they all sit, the senior staff members, all four of them.  With steam curling from their individual mugs that they have claimed, Gwen sits at the head of the scratched up wooden table.

“This is an emergency meeting,”  she begins.

“Is the shop closing?” her right hand, Elena, asks.

Gwen touches her shoulder briefly for comfort and nods her head.  Elena tenses and gestures to continue.  Gwen leans forward on her elbows and everyone copies her stance.

“Due to the chain coffee shop on the opposite corner that opened a year ago, our numbers have been shooting down.  In a few months we will close the shop for good.”

The gasps and tears fighting to fall don’t surprise her, but the mask she had made over the last week falls as she sees the faces around her reflect how she feels inside.  Hopeless, helpless, and unable to do anything worthy of change.

“Do the regulars know?” Leon asks, finally breaking the solemn silence.

Gwen shakes her head, “We will break it to them the month of closing.

Gwen casts her eyes down at the gauged wood before her as she fights back a fresh wave of tears.  Her mind throws up another topic as a strategy and she holds onto it for life.  She clears her throat quietly.

“We’ve all been here, together, since the beginning.  Memories of all sorts have been made in this coffee shop among staff and customers alike.  I want to go out with one final plan that includes all of us and two others.  As you all know, over the past three months two of the customers who show up three times a week are in brutal competition over one of the chairs.  So far, no complaints have come up, which is good, but-”

Gwaine snaps his fingers, “Oh you mean Merlin and Arthur!  Yeah some of the other regulars have taken bets on who has had the chair the most.  We even have a tally board in the back and a pool of bets-”

Gwen holds up her hand for silence, “Yes, Merlin and Arthur.  I think we need to do something to stop this petty competition once and for all.”

“We could take the chair away?” Elena suggests after a contemplative sip of her coffee.

Gwen shakes her head lightly.

“I got it!  We could sit down to sort it out or,” Gwaine holds his hands up, “they could challenge each other.”

Everyone starts talking at once and Gwen has to raise her voice to gather everyone’s attention again.  Gwaine deflates in his chair as Gwen shakes her head again.

Gwaine sighs, “Shame.  If they didn’t bicker and hate each other as much as they did, I would’ve thought they were together.”

The dust settles after the statement and the solution rises from it, like a phoenix from the ashes it died in.  Elena scurries to make another strong pot of coffee and the rest start on the tiny details for their grand plan.  The sign on the door falls off and flutters to the ground, but no one notices.

* * *

 

The next day, Merlin wakes up and gets ready for the day.  He pulls on the nearest clean clothes and brushes his teeth, not bothering to fix his bed hair.  He swings the apartment door shut and locks it before stepping out into a downpour.  Cursing all of the way to the coffee shop about the weather, he fails to notice the piece of paper on the floor.

The loud bang of the door makes Arthur, who was settling in the chair, jump slightly.  He curses as he spots the unruly dark hair glancing around sheepishly at the casted glares from the other regulars before focusing on Arthur’s eyes and narrowing, his lips forming a scowl that Arthur has seen one too many times as he storms up to the counter and mumbles out his order.  Arthur notes the wet clothing clinging to his slender form as he hunches over at a table not too far away.  

Arthur taps his foot impatiently, what is taking the staff so long on his drink?  He looks around once more and notes that there isn’t a lot of people in here, so they can’t be backed up on orders.  He counts the staff, all three are here on their shift.  He sighs in relief as they call out his name for his drink and he stands beside his enemy.  His enemy’s name is called out as well and they both look at each other.

Too distracted by being this close to the other, they take their paper cups.  Arthur props his feet on the ottoman in front of him and opens his newspaper.  His eyes nearly pop out as the bitter coffee slides down his throat.  This was not his drink.  He double checks the name on the cup and it reads Merlin.  He rolls his eyes as he gets up, again, and sees the other man making his way towards the bar.

“This is yours.”  Merlin says curtly, mouth slightly puckered.

“How can you even drink this?”  Arthur exasperates.

“I could ask you the same.  You can’t even taste the coffee!”  Merlin exclaims as he shoves the cup into Arthur’s other hand.

Arthur opens his mouth to fire off another insult, but the man turns on his heel and plops down in front of his textbook.  Arthur stands there for a moment thinking, ‘That just happened?’.  He shakes his head and turns back to the chair.  He half expects the other man, Merlin, to be sitting in it.  It has happened many times, and they are both guilty of playing the trick.  The day runs like it always does when the two are there; after the winner gets the chair, they both focus on whatever they have planned for several hours before leaving at the same time, which is around three in the afternoon.  

* * *

 

That night the staff meeting is buzzing with excitement.  A whiteboard has been propped up in at the other head of the table.  Gwen takes her seat and the buzzing subdues.  

“The first step has worked in a way.” She starts off.

Gwaine bursts, “What do you mean ‘in a way’?  It was perfect!”

 It was his idea in the first place to switch up the drinks.

“They talked for two seconds.  They didn’t even talk, they bickered at each other!”  Leon counters swiftly.

As Gwaine pouts like a child, Gwen turns to her right hand.  Everyone turns to Elena as well for the final vote..

Elena shrugs, “They talked more or less.”

Leon groans while Gwaine cheers and blows a kiss to an unimpressed yet blushing Elena.  Gwen presses her lips against the smile forming at the sight of her closest friends in such great moods and focuses on the whiteboard..

“We have one more day of this week to get them talk to each other like decent human beings.” Gwen says with a hand falling flat on the table, which creates an audible slap.

At the noise, everyone gets serious and brainstorm ideas between cups of coffee and tired smiles.  As Gwen locks the door, she sees the sign she made and folds it neatly in her pocket.  She must remember to make a more durable sign tomorrow.

* * *

 

The next day that Merlin and Arthur visit the coffee shop the other regulars are in disbelief, as well as Gwaine.  All the bets are subtly returned in minutes.  Sitting in the chair is neither Merlin or Arthur, but a stranger.  As Arthur stumbles into the coffee shop due to batteries dying in his alarm, , his eyes immediately search for the dark haired man.  He finds him sitting at the table they usually take when they lost the chair for the day that Arthur has named in his mind Outcast.  Arthur joins Merlin at the Outcast after ordering his drink.

Merlin says out of the corner of his mouth, “Must be a newbie.”

Arthur can’t help himself as he nods, “Complete idiot, almost as idiotic as you.” 

Merlin turns to face the man in the budding argument when a round tray slides between the two.  He looks and sees the overly cheerful smile that Gwaine is shining at the pair.

“I come bearing drinks!” Gwaine announces.

Gwaine sticks the empty tray under his arm and leans casually against the wall beside Merlin, “So.  The chair.  You must feel pretty mad about it.  How are you guys taking it back?  Have you hatched a plan?”

Arthur motions between him and Merlin with raised eyebrows at Gwaine. Never would Arthur willingly hatch a plan with his enemy.  Gwaine nods eagerly and waits for the grand plan,. He havings nothing better to do despite the growing line of customers waiting to get their order taken.  Merlin coughs and leans his head slightly in anticipation as well.

“Um, you see, Merlin is going to cause a distraction while I will move the newbie’s stuff somewhere else and claim the chair back.”  Arthur is smiling at the end of his proclamation.

Merlin, on the sheer edge of whining, “Why do I have to be the distraction?”

Arthur’s jaw goes slightly slack, “Have you seen yourself?  You trip over thin air, Merlin.   _Air_.  You are as clumsy as...as yourself because you are the clumsiest creature I’ve ever encountered.”

Merlin snaps with red ears, “Oh that was such a mature thing to say.”

Gwaine tilts his head and squints his eyes at the light haired man, “Are you saying that you watch Merlin?”

Arthur nearly chokes on the coffee that he was drinking.  Merlin feels his face grow warm in addition to his ears as he now avoids looking at the coughing man.  Gwaine slaps Arthur on the back with a sly smile as Arthur shakes his head rapidly and stumbles for an explanation.

“It’s okay to have feelings for someone Arthur, you are only human.”  With that Gwaine leaves to man the register.

* * *

 

Three weeks later, eleven days since the plan was put into motion, Elena pours everyone their fourth cup of coffee well at the staff meeting that night.

“Whatever you did, Gwaine, it worked.  Sort of.” Leon tells him from across the table.

“What can I say?  I am a love god.”  

Everyone rolls their eyes at his statement.  Merlin and Arthur sit together as the newbie sits in the chair every time they are there.  The two don’t even bother with trying to take back the chair, they just complain loud enough for the newbie to hear. .  No bets are being made and the pool has gone dry.  Gwaine mopes along with the bet making regulars.  The whiteboard is titled ‘Planet’.  It is actually ‘Plan Eight’  said fast.  There are eight people involved which is the five staff members, Merlin and Arthur, and the newbie that Gwaine is paying on the down low to keep sitting in the chair every week.

* * *

 

Merlin comes in from a brisk, cloudy morning.  The lights in the coffee shop cast a brighter, warmer glow onto the damp sidewalk than usual.  Steam cries out and spoons clink as they are stirred in hot mugs.  Merlin sets his bag on the chair beside him and can’t help but look around every few seconds for Arthur.  The past several weeks have been strange to say the least, gone were the days of competition and glares and scathing remarks to one another.  Just the other day they were laughing and being friendly towards one another.  

Merlin often finds himself staring at Arthur longer than he should be.  At night Merlin lays in bed turning over their conversation that day.  Arthur sits in his chair in his high scale loft deciphering any hidden expressions or meanings of the day from Merlin.  Both unknowingly pine for each other a little more each night.  

Arthur waves his hand in front of Merlin’s glazed eyes.  The motion snaps the man out of his thoughts and he sees that Arthur brought them their drinks.  One is dark and the other so pale with creamer it seems to glow from the lamp on the table.  

“What?” Arthur prompts at the eye roll he receives from Merlin.

“How do you drink that every day?  You probably can’t even taste the coffee in it.  All you get is sugar and more artificial sugar that is in the gallon of flavored creamer.  God, just thinking about it makes my tongue dry.”  Merlin takes a long sip of his plain dark roast coffee.

Arthur groans and throws his hands up, “This again.  You bring it up all the time.  If I didn’t know better, you only talk to me because you secretly love it and you’re waiting for the right moment to steal my drink.”

With a smile on his lips, Merlin drawls, “In your dreams.”

Elena and Gwen exchange secretive glances as they watch the two flirt and laugh with each other.  This crazy plan is actually working.  

* * *

 

“I wasn’t sure about this working at all, but it is.” Gwen admits at the head of the table.

Gwaine adds with a smug smile, “They are moving faster than I expected.  I think step two is ready to go.”

Leon and Elena agree and look to Gwen for final approval.  She nods and Elena whips out multiple pieces of paper and pencils.

An hour later Elena and Gwaine are arguing.

Elena points a lead smudged finger at Gwaine, “He would never say anything like that.”

“Last time I checked you weren’t Arthur.”  Gwaine snaps back.

Leon ignores the two and hunches over the piece of paper he is working on.  Gwen massages her temples as the bickering calls a headache to present itself. 

“Let’s see what Leon has come up with and critique.” Gwen compromises.

The two stop and they all turn to Leon.  Leon looks up and reads the short and simple message aloud.  One secret message down, one to go. 

“Just make it to the point like Merlin’s.”  Gwaine stresses as he sees the multiple sentences crammed onto the paper.

Elena huffs and shoves the paper and pencil not to Gwaine, but to Gwen instead.  Gwen puts it to the side and rips off a clean piece.

 

‘Merlin,

Dinner at the coffee shop.  6:00.  Come in the staff entrance.  Don’t be late.

 

Arthur’

* * *

 

Step two doesn’t go as planned.  The staff had made the plan based on the two staying in the coffee shop like always, yet today was different.  Merlin rushes in looking like a wreck.  Dark bags droop under his sleepless eyes as he stands at the register.

“Large dark roast to-go.” He manages to say.

Gwaine repeats the order to Gwen, whose eyes widen and thinks of a way to pass the forged message to the man.  She pours the coffee in the cup and writes his name with an arrow pointing to where the note is wedged tight between the sleeve and the cup itself.  The staff watch with bated breath as Gwen repeats what she did with Merlin’s cup and Arthur leaves with his to-go cup.

* * *

 

The staff close the shop and pull down the blinds on the glass panes.  Elena grabs the white tablecloth and candles.  Gwaine bribes the restaurant next door with baked goods and free coffee coupons in exchange for two plates of dinner and dessert.  Leon keeps checking the staff entrance for anyone coming and Gwen watches the hands on the clock inch closer to six.

Five minutes before the clock strikes six, Arthur slips silently through the staff entrance.  The beads over the curtain whisper his arrival and multiple heads turn in his direction.  Arthur’s breath hitches in his throat as he sees their table alone in the middle of the room.  Everything is pushed off to the side including the chair they fought over.  Leon leads him to his seat.  The sharp pain of the rose’s thorn brings Arthur to ask for a vase.  Leon goes to get a vase.

“Flowers?  You’ve outdone yourself.”  Merlin says as he watches Arthur place the rose in the small, slender vase.

Arthur almost tips the vase over in fright, “I could say the same since you have managed to sneak up on me.”

Merlin sits down across from Arthur in comfortable silence.  Arthur notices that Merlin has failed to tame his unruly black hair and is dressed in a slightly wrinkled button down shirt.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t see you today.” Merlin starts off.

“I don’t blame you for trying to catch up on sleep.” Arthur tells him.

As Merlin opens his mouth to respond, Gwaine appears beside them with a tray full of food.

“Dinner is served.  Enjoy you two.” Gwaine leaves with an exaggerated wink that has both men rolling their eyes with embarrassed smiles.

After three glasses of dark wine their ankles are crossed together under the table and the conversation veers to relationships.  

“I haven’t had time for a real relationship myself with college.  I have a one night stand sometimes, but I want something real, something _more_.”  Merlin confesses with blushing cheeks.

“I can’t afford any distractions like that a romantic relationship.  I need to stay focused at work.  Plus, I have too much emotional baggage and I can’t burden anyone else with it.  I-I have to be safe, emotionally, and the only way to be safe is to not let anyone new into my life that would be the center of it.  That could come into my life and destroy my focus, yet embody it.  Like you, Merlin.  I keep coming back to this damn coffee shop every week, and you are all I think about.  It scares me yet I can’t get enough of it.”  

Just as he thought, Merlin is silent and frozen in his spot.  This is it, the moment he has been anticipating yet dreading ever since the dark haired man crashed into his life.  Arthur has been rejected once more.

“You won’t have to see me again, I’ve freaked you out.”  Arthur stands up abruptly from his chair and starts towards the door.

He freezes as a hand touches his.  The tower he built around himself finally crumbles after months of delicately and subtly cracking as he turns around to the person holding his hand.

 “Stay.  I feel the same way about you, and you aren’t getting away that easily.” Merlin says, his dark blue eyes locked on Arthur’s.

Arthur’s breath hitches as his hand tightens almost painfully around Merlin’s as they both go back to the table, and sit down together to plan their first official date.  In the rubble of Arthur’s emotional security, a seedling pushes away debri.  Something new has begun.

 

~ Fin


End file.
